Centrifugal amalgamator and separator



I June 24, 1930. Q p, E AQN 1,767,893 I -CEN TRIFUGAL AMALGAMATOR ANDSEPARATOR Filed Sept. 6, 1927 i an suitable manner. K

Patented June 24, 1930 a r 1 V I s a i "STATES FFICE '4 i PAIILVA.irnumann, or onioAeo .ZlILLINOiS i I c NTnIFU L'AMALGAMA'rQR ANDsnraimroa Application filed Septmbert, 1927, Serial No. 217,722, and. inCanada September 18, 1926.

' The invention relates to a "centrifugal cone 9 can .be lowered. is acircular amalgamator and separator for extracting pocket forming a traparound the top of the precious metals from sands and from finely drum.11 is the upper rim of this trap. 12 milled'ore r is a mercury liningformed against the walls The object of my invention is tov provide 2bythe rotation.- 17 are a plurality of ,ver- 50 a machine of the 'kindmentioned above tical vanes fixed to the wall2 to impart the which,although comparatively simple of rotation to the mercury 'andthe pulp.In construction, makes possible a very high eX- Fig. 2 18 is a wirescreen closing the circultraction of Values from the worthless matelaropening of thetrap 10. T -1 rial accompanying them.f- I s When themachine is working all the 55 -}In the accompanying drawing I only showparts shown in the drawing, with the exthe rotating drum beingtheessential part ception of theinlet pipe 1, rotate at a highjofthe-machine, as the'foundations, pulleys, speed. v 1 launders andother parts can be arranged in Before the machine is started a quantityof mercury is put into the drum sufficient 60 Whil the drawingillustrates an embodito furnish a linin against the walls of the ment ofmy invention, it is to be understood drum entirely filling the spacebetween the that in adapting the same to meet different shoulder 4 andthe rim 3. conditions and requirements, various changes By the rotationthe mercury flows over the 5 inform, 'proportion, and minor details'ofourve'5, and is lined up against the walls 6 theconstr'uction mayberesorted to, without 2 of-the drum, forming a'thin body'fiush departingfrom the nature of my invention. with the .rim 3 and the shoulder 4which, One formof the invention isillustrated thoughtheoreticallyparaboloidal, at a high in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a verticalspeed of rotation may be-called cylindrical 5 section ofthe drum; Fig. 2is avertical sea for practical purposes. Any surplus of mer- 7Q 4oimpart thefrota tiom-enlarged, ofa'modifiecl' type of the cury flows outover the rim 3 which, like trap around the top ofthe drum. the shoulder4: whereon the mercury lining 1 is the inlet pipe forthe water-mixedfinds a support, is preferably not more pro- 7 material to be treated,from now on called jecting inwards than the thickness of the pulp; 2 isthe cylindrical wall of the rotatmercury lining. I ing drum; 3 is aninward projecting rim The pulp is then run in through the inlet aroundthe top of the drum. -Aninward pipe 1, and is rotated by the vanes 8.These projecting shoulder 4 is formed around the vanes 8 however, asalsothe vanes 17, are,

base of the walls 2, into which shoulder the in some cases, notnecessary, the pulp and curved end 5 of the bottom -6 of the drum themercury being sufliciently rotated by 89 merges. 7 is an outlet hole forthe mercury, mere friction with the bottom 6, the cone amalgam, andprecious metals, tobe screwed 9, and'the walls 2. The pulp now flowsopen only when; the machine is stopped; 8 through the circular outletbetween the botarea plurality of radial vertical vanes t0 tom (Sand thecone 9. Strikingagainst the tion toth'e pulp. 9 is a cone curve 5 thestream of pulp is deflected up- 35 mounted on thearms lt to force theuinwards, so that it cannot rush straight streaming pulp downwardg "Thearms 14: against the'mercury, thus avoidingflouring are' fixed to thestublikeLprolongation 13 of and undulation of mercury. The pulp, thespindle 15. 16' are a-plurality of discs spread out into a th1n film,assumes a flow around the stub. 13; by taking them out the practicallyvertical, becoming parallel'to the 0 m'ercury'lining before flowing ontoit. The depth of the pulp film varies with the speed of rotation, but,by taking out the-discs 16 below the cone arms 14: and thereby loweringthe cone 9, it can also be regulated. I The pulp now flows upwards overthe mercury either vertically or in a more or less steep spiral line,according to the rotation imparted to the pulp in relation to that ofthe mercury.

The pulpstream flows in an even thin sheet over the smooth and unbrokensurface of the mercury. Any turbulent motion in flowing onto and oifthe' mercury is avoided, as the mercury is flush with the rim 3 and theshoulder 4. By the centrifugal force all substances heavier thanmercury. such as gold, platinum, and others, are pressed into themercury'and through it against the walls 2 of the drum, or, ifamalgamable, they are amalgamated. The lighter particles of. the pulp,the inner edge of which is preferably pointed or rounded to prevent thesettlement of solids thereon, such as quartz sand, slimed gangue orother minerals remain swimming on the inner surface of the mercurylining, and continue their way gliding upwards over it, till they arewashed out over the rim 3.

The volume of the precious metals thrown into the mercury causes somemercury to flow over the rim 3. Any mercury so displaced, sometimescarrying values of pre cious metal dissolved in it, is thrown into thetrap 10,forcing on account'of its higher specific gravity its way intothe sandsand slimes partly filling that trap. The trap consists of acircular pocket around the top of the drum, and spaced substantiallyoutwards, so that the pulp flowing outover the rim 3does not flowquietly into the trap, but

that it is splashed into it with force, splaslr' ing the lightervalueless particles out of it. In order to reduce too strong splashing awire fabric 18, as shownin Fig. 2, may be vplacedover the opening of thetrap. The same result of'reducing too strong splashing "may also beobtained by making the connec- 'tion'from the rim 3 to the trap upwardlyinclined, as shown in Fig. 2. This connection from the rim 3' to thetrap must always be of such incline that no solidsfrom the pulpcansettle thereon under the influence ofcentrifugal force;

Ass aid before, the vanes 8 and 17 may "be left away. In such case thepulp, being less rotated thanv the mercury, would flow over it in aspiral, remaining consequently longer in contact with it during itspassage through the drum. y

When the operation is finished, and the drum is stopped, the mercury,the amalgam, and the precious metals will be found'on the bottomfof' thedrum and in the trap, from vices show great disadvantage, which rendertheir working defective or impossible. Some of them have rifflesprojecting over the mercury, thereby causing an accumulation of solidsagainst these rifiles,'through which fresh pulp cannot come any more incontact I with the mercury. Others direct the pulpstream more or lessfully against the mercury, whereby this is floured and washed into thewaste, no effective means to catch it being provided. Others againprovide a circulating mercury surface, forcing the mercury to passthrough narrow channels and other obstacles breakingit up into minuteglobules. Besides, such machines are: very heavy having double walls.They are extremely complicated and expensive, "and, the mercury beingkept in circulation, they requirean excessive driving power. I Y Y I Myinvention difiers from all these, being a very simple, comparativelyinexepnsive device. Rifiies and other impediments to the upward flow ofthe pulp are avoided. No solids can settle against the upper rim of themachine, as themerc'ury is flush wit-hit. Any precious metals, escapingfrom being caught within the drum, are caught in 8 rotating trap, and soisalso anymerpeury Y the onrushing pulpstream and the surface of whichis unbroken'and is flush wit thfifim bordering ,it,I can apply,& Very ghcen rifugal force Without fear of flouring mercury V and of accumulatingsolids on it detrimental ,to the extractiQn; 'And by combiningthijs withthe trap, catching the unavoidable overflow of mercury loaded withprecious I obtain a very much increased if ciencyin amalgamation andseparation. I I I In h drawing the rim 13 ho n made in one piece withthe trap, andjso is, the

would of coursebe no departure from the nature of my invention if therims were made in one piece with the Wall 2,01 if they were made ofseparate pieces by themselves.

I claim: I 1. In a centrifugal amalgamator and separator of the typehaving a rotatingdrum with practically cylindrical walls, the com.-

bination of a mercury lining with an un- "broken surface kept up againstthesewalls I shoulder i in one piece with the curve 5. It

upper edge of this lining'andv determining its thickness, and a mercurytrap outwardly spaced around the top of the drum and connectedtherewith.

2. In combination, a centrifugal amalgamat ing and separating receptacleadapted to maintain a wall of mercury within the same during rotation, atrap at the top of the receptacle, and an open meshed screen extendingacross the mouth of said trap and adapted to receive the impact ofmaterial overflowing the receptacle.

PAUL A. NEUMANN.

